


Ending It

by cgb



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-14
Updated: 2012-12-14
Packaged: 2017-11-21 02:59:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/592683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cgb/pseuds/cgb





	Ending It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Enigel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enigel/gifts).



Three in the morning in a hotel in Zurich and Brian is ending it again. "We have to end it," he says.

Evgeni reaches over the side of the bed for his bag, fumbles around inside until he finds cigarettes and a lighter. “Why are we ending it this time?” he says, putting the cigarette in his mouth.

"You can’t smoke that," Brian says. He’s on the other side of the bed, leaning against a pile of three pillows. Somewhere between one and two in the morning they completely rearranged the bedclothes.

"I’m retired," Evgeni says. "I can do whatever I want."

"I’m not," Brian says. "And besides, this is a non-smoking room."

Evgeni sighs and puts the unlit cigarette back in its pack. "You were saying?"

"There was an interview with Laetitia in a magazine. She said I was gay. I’m sueing her and the magazine."

"Because she said you were gay?"

"My manager said it was necessary to protect my reputation."

"If you don’t want people to say you are gay, then you shouldn't have sex with men."

"I’m not having sex with men," Brian says. "I’m having sex with you."

"How sweet," Evgeni says. "Also, you should probably change your costumes."

"What’s wrong with my costumes?"

"I don’t think 'out and proud' is the look you’re going for."

"You wore a dress!"

"Yes, but i have the legs for it."

Brian humphs and folds his arms across his chest. "It’s all right for you, you have your medals. I need sponsors."

Evgeni checks the clock on the bedside table. It’s far too early to have this conversation. He has a flight in the morning. For someone who wanted a romantic break, Brian is being awfully neurotic about it. He makes Johnny look grounded.

At least Johnny hasn’t sued anyone for saying he’s gay. Evgeni smiles to himself. That would be funny.

"No one cares if you’re gay," Evgeni says.

"Really?" Brian says. "And what would you do if a Russian magazine said you were gay?"

"I’m married," Evgeni says.

"Separated," Brian says.

"I have a son."

"A technicality," Brian says.

"No one believes what they say in the Russian magazines anyway," Evgeni says. He’s tempted to turn the light off and go to sleep, but they only have one night and he’d rather not waste it sleeping.

He’d really like a cigarette. If he has to listen to Brian’s neuroses for the next hour, he should be allowed a cigarette.

"Everything is different now that you are retired," Brian says. "I don’t see you at competitions anymore."

"Aw," Evgeni says. He pats Brian’s leg. "You miss me."

"I don’t miss you," Brian says. "I miss beating you."

"And when did that happen?"

"Budapest."

"No wonder you miss it. It was so long ago."

Brian pouts. Evgeni really shouldn’t enjoy teasing him so much.

If Evgeni remembers correctly, Budapest was when it started. A championship, a little champagne and Brian gets quite flirty.

He smiles at the memory. He always did like Budapest.

"At the competitions everyone is in the same hotel," Brian says. “And there are drinks and parties and plenty of...," He waves his hands in the air back and forth, "coming and going. Here there’s just us. If we are recognised, everyone will wonder why we’re here."

Evgeni shrugs. "Visiting Stéphane?"

"Stéphane lives in Lausanne."

"In that case, we’re very lost." 

Brian gets out of bed and searches the floor for his clothes. In their excitement they made something of a mess of the hotel room. It’s been a long time since Torino.

"You don’t take me seriously,"” Brian says, putting his pants on. He goes into the bathroom, comes out one minute later and stands by the window with his arms folded, looking out. There’s not much to see. The hotel is clean, modest and on the other side of the lake from the old town. Brian chose.

“How can I take you seriously?” Evgeni says. "In Beijing you wanted to end it because you weren’t sure. In Dortmund you wanted to end it because you had a girlfriend. The same girlfriend you’re now sueing, by the way. In Lyon you wanted to end it because I win too much."

"I thought you needed to lose something for a change."

"Yes," Evgeni says, rolling his eyes. "Thank you for that... important lesson. In Torino you wanted to end it because your performance was so terrible you didn’t deserve to sleep with an Olympic gold medallist."

"It wasn’t a good time for me."

"Sometimes I think your problem with me is that I win things."

"That’s ridiculous."

"You liked me best in Budapest."

"I was drunk in Budapest."

"Then we need more wine," Evgeni says. He looks around for the room service menu. "I clearly did not get you drunk enough."

"I don’t need more wine," Brian says.

Evgeni finds the menu and looks through it anyway. Brian is driving him to drink.

"Anyway," Evgeni says, "now that I’ve retired, you’ll probably win everything."

Brian turns around. His cheeks are red, his lips pressed hard together, like he's holding his breath. "This is not about you," he says. "You’re so self centred. Is it any surprise your wife divorced you?"

"My wife?" Evgeni raises his eyebrows. He checks the wine list again. "I think I’ll definitely need that drink now."

Brian sighs loudly and shakes his head. "I’m sorry," he says. "I don’t know why your wife divorced you."

"I know why she divorced me. I’m not sure why she married me," Evgeni says. "But I didn’t break up with you. You should remember that."

"Yes," Brian says. "I thought that was strange."

"Women come and go," Evgenis says, waving his hand dismissively. "But you and I are different."

"No, we aren’t," Brian says. "We’re worse. We’re...," He pauses, searching for the word, "fuck buddies." 

Evgeni blinks. "Is that bad?"

"It’s meaningless," Brian says. "And dangerous. We have to end it."

"Ah!" Evgeni says, throwing up his hands "Fine. Let’s end it. You’re driving me crazy anyway."

"Good," Brian says, nodding.

"Good," Evgeni says.

"That’s it then," Brian says.

"Whatever," Evgeni says. He pauses for a moment. "Are you coming back to bed or not?"

Brian takes his pants off and gets back into the bed. Evgeni moves to the centre so that they’re side by side, touching in the middle. They lie like that, staring at the ceiling.

"You’re not ending this," he says to Brian.

"I’m ending this," Brian says.

Evgeni turns onto his side and pulls Brian toward him. Brian comes toward him without a word.

In the morning, Brian leaves first. Before sunrise.

"I’ll call you," Evgeni says, as Brian goes out the door.

"Don’t call me," Brian says, and the door closes behind him.

Evgeni leans over the side of the bed and takes a cigarette from his bag. He lights the cigarette; Non-smoking room be damned. It’s not that Brian doesn’t mean what he says, he just changes his mind six months later. It’s like the Olympics. The wait feels like forever but it happens eventually.

And win or lose, the experience is always unforgettable.

End.


End file.
